From the designer! Thank you, Erin, for such a wonderful review and it's great that your measurements not only align with mine but also go some way to revealing why the Aura 2 is such a well balanced speaker. You correctly surmised that the treble lift, on-axis, is there to provide a smooth power response in-room. This makes sure that the harmonic overtones of instruments and voices are correctly balanced with the fundamentals - the output of any AMT or ribbon treble unit reduces in the vertical direction off-axis and it is the power response, not the on-axis frequency response, that we hear as defining the tonal character. I doubt, however, that the 'kick' at 13kHz is responsible for any hint of sharpness you may have noticed on some recordings. Play a pure tone at 13kHz at normal listening levels and it is hardly audible. In my experience, treble sharpness, stridency or excess sibilance in speakers largely occurs because of something happening in the 1 - 5kHz region. It is difficult for the hi-fi designer to cater for less-than-perfect recordings. A lot of recordings contain a lift in the 1 - 3kHz region to boost 'presence' and this often results in recordings sounding over-bright or sharp. Usually, for hi-fi speakers, a slight depression in this area is necessary to make the balance more palatable for a wide variety of recordings. This also explains why studio monitor speakers, which are more likely to deliver a flat power response overall, are not generally liked by hi-fi listeners but considered too 'bright' or 'revealing'. You are also right in pointing out the balance of bass to midrange is set to take account of reinforcement from the in-room boost at low frequencies. I have seen that most hi-fi users prefer to place speakers relatively close to the front wall and it makes sense to accommodate this to avoid an over-heavy or boomy bass. As you found, the Aura 2 delivers full bodied bass output down to 40Hz and below thanks, largely, to the Slot Loaded Profile Port (SLPP) system that we, at Wharfedale, developed from an idea from Gilbert Briggs the founder of Wharfedale. The SLPP system provides better integration of bass with room acoustics, resulting in higher efficiency of the port system at very low frequencies. It is easy to adjust the distance from the wall behind the speakers to achieve the balance of bass to midrange that the listener likes. Finally I was interested to hear about the Van Halen track you used when listening. Personally I'd love to know more about how you reacted to listening to different styles and genre of music through the Auras as your subjective opinion, I think, makes a nice balance with the measurements and indicates more about how listeners will experience using these speakers in their own homes.

Let's please have a Evo 4.2's review too Erin, best regards. Keep up the work brother ✌💪

Wharfedale is really pushing it on all price points. IAG in general doing great work. Would love to see the cheaper EVO line reviewed 4.2 or 4.3. Great stuff as always Erin!

Even when a speaker doesn’t NEED a subwoofer, it needs a subwoofer. The subtle energy a quality subwoofer provides to a room on most songs is worth one.

I'd love to see a review of their EVO4.2 which has a very similar design but uses a dome midrange. At $1,199 the appear to be a fantastic value given the measurements of Wharfedale's other speakers!

Thanks for another great review as always Erin! 👍

Great review, I'm glad to hear that the Aura 2 has overcome the issue with a small optimal listening position that the Evo 4.2 had.

I just got them and had put them in the dining room. Bass is robust for one six inch woofer. I sit much closer to them than I do with my towers (5 or 6 ft). They are also close to the wall (one foot). I just put them with a sealed sub (hopefully evening out the bass, by pushing it forward in the room). I will be doing room EQ again once I get new cables. Sub mucks up the midrange if it's playing too loud because it's producing output up to double or triple what it's crossed over at. Signature of the Auras isn't as lively as it is with my Martin Logan Motions. Resolution was a bit better with the Elysians I had heard at a show (but, for a lot more money), but I've been enjoying the music so much, that I don't feel like I'm missing out. Auras have a more enveloping soundstage than my towers do. Dynamics are slightly worse (though my towers are almost at a Zu/Klipsch level). Timbre is more natural with the Auras. I hadn't noticed the tweeter dispersion problem with the Auras, because I rarely sit outside of the angles provided. I deal with this problem by listening to a bigger speakers in a bigger room from far away.

What an Over The Top review 😁 Thank you for the detailed testing!

Seems like a brand that takes its design and engineering seriously while offering great value, which is rare these days! Those cost less then my ATC SCM 19s that are 2 ways that need a sub for full range sound.

Great review...great speaker. I would've never known or thought it without this review. 👍

Excellent review as always Erin. Thanks

Fantastic video Erin as always, it will be very interesting to see you re opinion about the evo 4.2 or 4.3 as being a lot cheaper and they are also 3 way with amt tweeter

It's really nice to see a 3-way "bookshelf" as they should in effect be able to avoid many of the 2-way issues.

As always excellent review Erin! Thanks to Wharfedale for allowing this review and thanks to you Erin for sharing.

Thanks for the excellent review.

Great video as always, thank you very much!

Another great review Erin. The next model up uses smaller woofers so will be an interesting comparison. Model after that reverts to the 6.5”.

A GREAT review!

Thanks for letting us know your general sound impressions up front in the video! 👍

Thanks for the review, Erin ! Considering the High End look and finish along with a somewhat fair price (1999€), this is quite a surprising result ! 🙂 Excellent low end extension for a non-floorstander. I wonder how big of a deal is the very narrow directivity in higher frequencies, tho.

The Elysian 4 sounds fantastic! Good to see AURA 2 also is a great one.

Nice review, Erin. I could see these replacing my decades old speakers in the near future.

Great review! Would love to see how it stacks up to the similarly priced other new IAG design the Quad Revela. Ribbon vs AMT etc

Great review, which also shows how good the Ascend Acoustics is for $1000 less.

A wonderful, fascinating review.

Great review Erin! How do these compere to the Emotivas that you liked? I went with the T2+ after hearing the EVO4.4 but the Aura 2 wasn't out yet. I love with my T2+ but are always curious about new AMT speakers.

Thanks Erin for this review. 2000 seems to be the sweet spot where you can have a stellar performance and very nice finish and construction . Not exactly cheap but still acceptable imho considering wht you get and its resale value. I had the chance to visit a store a couple of days ago and tried some elac high end speakers, comparing them with my dbr 62. The vela bs 404 impressed me, as well as their tower counterpart fs09. Hope you try them out someday. Thanks again for your great videos!

High praise for this. Any thoughts on comparing this vs the Revel M106 and the Kefs R3 Metas? They are about similar price class and very well reviewed.

Another class review, the only audio reviewer I like. This or the kef r3 meta?

Erin thanks for testing these. I've had my eye on them for a while now. Do you think you can eventually compare them to the EVO 4.2?

I realized a while back .. you dropped your intro. Im sorta happy to see that trend ( intros going away ) in this media platform. Really nice response on these.

Excellent review as usual 👍 This British manufacturer is underated big time. They offer some of the best value for money. my opinion you can't go wrong buying wharfdale, pleasing for the ears as well to the eyes, great finish and sound.

Great review, as always, Erin. As you were speaking your intro about stand mount three ways being so unusual, I couldn't help but think of the KEF R3 Meta, which I believe you tested pretty recently, and is even at a very competitive price point to the Aura. Could you give us a quick opinion on those two products compared, or even to the much more expensive Reference 1 Meta? Thanks for all you do, brother! 🍻

Great review, thanks for your great work, have been chewing through your videos ovwr the past few weeks! Would love to see an Elysian review. Also is that an original TMNT cabinet i saw there?

Between this and the Linton, I have high hopes for their other speakers. I would love to hear your thoughts on these vs the R3 Meta or the Philharmonic BMR.

Nice to see your enthusiasm! Can't wait for your review re. the rest of the line-up. Btw, in the EU these are 1999,- euro's, which makes it even a better deal. Kudo's to Peter Comeau 👌

Very impressive performance! They might not always be reference level speakers, but wharfdale usually voices their speakers pretty well, fairly neutral most of the time .Doesn't hurt that they're beautiful to look at.

Erin can you also review the Wharfdale Elysian speakers? Id like to know how it compares to the Aura.

Looking forward to your test of the Elysian. Hopefully you can do the Elysian 4.

I’m wondering how the Mission 700 would compare to the already reviewed Lintons & now those.

Thanks Erin. I have the Evo 4.2 and enjoy them. One thing i find I can do with them is push them right up against the back wall. Be interesting to know if you tried something similar with the Aura

I still have yet to meet a ribbon or Amt tweeter that doesn’t call attention to itself and I’ve tried a ton. I liked the Adam audio a7x and a7v. But the folded Amt would be impressive for a bit and then becoming grating with say 20 min of listening. I’ll keep and open mind and try to find a pair of these to hear.

Thanks Erin.

Great Shirt ! 😊

Great review. Looks like Wharfdale has another winner here. Being a basshead, I would probably add something like a Rhythmik Servo controlled sub to complete the low end and give that small midwoofer a break. This maybe considered a minitower today, but thinking about " bookshelf" speakers from my early days in audio, when bookshelf speakers had 8",10" and 12" woofers, this falls solidly in that camp. You can keep the glossy walnut, but in black or white, that finish looks great. Happy New Year Erin, take a break today. You have really been churning out reviews lately. You sure you have a day job?

How do these overall compare to the Kef R-3 Meta ? Thank you for all you do!!

Thats very impressive. Paired with two good subs itd be a very good setup

Do you think these would work with the back of the speaker 1ft away from the back wall? I'm curious now about the bigger ones, thanks for the review!

Great review Erin👍…If you compare this to the Kef R3 meta what do you think?..which is better?

Evo 4.3 owner here - they also have a nice linear frequency response and were designed by Peter Comeau. For me they are hard to beat... Neutral, with great ability to separate details and define them without sounding harsh. Bottom and lower mids warmish but never sluggish sounding. They can play bad recordings to some degree of enjoyment (compared to many others). Always sound composed throughout the spectrum. They do have a very slightly laid back Wharfedale house sound (less midrange attack than others) but I enjoy that characteristic as my ears get older:)

Thank you, Mr. Erin for an excellent review. Could you please recommend amplifiers (preferably several brands) to pair with them.

As you mentioned *BASS RANGE* in the beginning... I have been strictly looking for a speaker that covers as much bass range as possible, while still sounding great, of course. What speakers might this be? So far, I came up with: Philharmonic Tower(20-25Hz), Buchardt S400 MKII(33Hz), Linton 85th(35Hz), Philharmonic Monitor(36Hz), Sierra LX(36Hz).

This speaker checks a lot of blocks for me, smartly designed 3 way that looks fantastic and can be placed close to a wall. My only gripe is the price of the matching stands makes the Solid Series SS stands seem like a bargain. I'll be picking up a pair in white soon.

Thanx-X Erin ...... what do you suggest VS Kef R3 Meta (or non-Meta)? Also the KEF R3 are 3way ;)

Hi Erin, you clearly mentioned that you have to stay within the 20 degree vertical range range but seemed like that wasn't a big deal for you, is it because you mainly listen to music sitting in a particular position and not walk around? Asking because the off axis response is very different from that of "within 20 degrees"

hi Erin. i enjoy ur no nonsense reviews. could you do one about KLH Kendall 2B please . thse multi 1000 $ speakers are beyond my range . thank you much !

Loved the video Erin. Just a request for the future, some timestamps would be nice since the charts are not always something I understand. Thanks!

Would love to see an Elysian review someday!

Dear I would like to ask if an amplifier MARANTZ model PM8006 Is enough good to guide and use at Better way these speakers or not

Pretty nice speakers!

I bought the evo 4.2. I'm delighted with them. I have them with a sub. My room is a 36ft x 12ft enclosed patio with one side of a brick wall and others sides with 1/2 openings (essentially allowing waves to escape). Ceiling is foam+ metal sheet on an angle. I've got the cheap smsl a300. Don't like the "linear" remote. Speakers are 9ft apart, away from the wall, and I'm in one end of the narrow space sitting 9 ft away.

What active speakers have the deepest holographic soundstage in your opinion? Thank You Erin! You are the best!❤❤❤❤❤❤😊

I really appreciate this review. Come to 🇬🇧 🙏 roadshow time. Would you say this speaker works with reggae, hip hop and rnb?

Gosh, dang you Erin! I can't afford for you to keep doing this to me😂

And looks like they have a proper center channel too. Now I want you to get the ones below i thin evo4 ones.

I'm really curious about their high end tower speakers.

Well done, Sir! You should try getting the Quad Revela bookshelves too (they may be distributed by the same guys).

Interesting Almost perfect measurement. I'm looking for Speaker with Veneer finished with reasonable price..... difficult to find now a day on the market. Glass fiber cone Driver -> equivalent to PMC Twenty5 which cost double!!!! Not counting AMT..... interesting to listen too it. personally I'm worry about AMT tweeter. Can you recommend how to set proper the Hight to the ear level to smoothen highend? as measurment show vertical disperser is narrow. How should I sit during testing?

Where is bottom port located? Can i use any short speaker stand. Will my stands top plate get in the way of bottom port? What is the closest distance i can set in front of these in my smallish room?

Erin, the Aura 2s for $2000 new or the Lintons new with original stands for $900, if you had to chose? Thank you!

In your opinion, what is the best sounding 3 way and 2 way bookshelf speakers under 1000 usd? Thankyou

Interesting. I have the Evo 4.1 and I’m considering upgrading to the Aura 1.

I’ve got the series down, EVO4.3s and this review ticks a lot of its boxes too. With 2 woofers the bass focuses in at about 3 feet. On your terminals picture with 1 jumper, are the drivers in series?

how does this do against s400 mk2?

AURA AMT Equipped with the now world-famous Wharfedale AMT transducer, each AURA model emits breathtaking high-frequency definition Unlike conventional dome or other ribbon and planar diaphragms, the Wharfedale AMT high-frequency transducer does not move forwards and backwards like a piston. It is therefore not constrained by the mass of its diaphragm, with the attendant blurring of transient response. Instead, the diaphragm is folded and carries conductive elements immersed in an immensely strong magnetic field. Not only is this an efficient way of moving air, it is also highly accurate as the diaphragm is under close control of the motor system at all times. The result is a wide bandwidth transducer that achieves extremely low distortion and wonderful musical detail, with scintillating speed and dynamic ability

@ErinsAudioCorner 👍👍 It's great to have a beautifully-finished option that's also an excellent performing standmount...with a reasonable price point as well. 🙂 I'd kind of prefer that it be a slightly deeper/darker/richer walnut color for the single wood-grain option they offer, but that's just personal preference to match my own interior decor. And while you noted their excellent in-room low end extension, AND I realize that Wharfedale offers other models that may make my following thoughts irrelevant, I couldn't help but think how much it might be improved in regards to the low-end compression and dynamics at higher listening levels and/or for use in larger rooms if an excellent 8" midbass driver such as the Purifi 8 was used in place of the chosen 6.5" driver? The cabinet already seems large and volumous enough to incorporate such a driver, and it might make it even more desirable for those that really would like to forego the need to use a subwoofer. Yeah, this would most likely drive the cost up, but I'm just thinking out loud..."what if?". 😛

Great review! I guess you sold so many speakers that you ran the affiliate out of stock. Lol. I tried to buy a pair with your link, but it is backorder. Mine should be here this week! Thanks again for such a great review.

I would also like to add my vote for a shootout with the Philharmonic BMR. Those two seemed destined to be compared to each other.

how do they compare to Elysian 2?

Please review and measure the B&W 607s3 or 606s3. Thank you!

They look badaxx Dovetails look great also IAG Audiolab/Wharfdale/mission and a few others 😆 Thanks Always a joy my dude !

What a great evidence based review...cool

Crazy good for its price. Loved it when I heard them, and I liked the how the Aura 2 sounded more than the Elysian 2. When I heard the Aura 4, it was a big step up from the 2. These Auras gave me the impression of a very midcentric speaker, like most Wharfedales, wonder whats in the data that could indicate this. Maybe the slightly higher levels in the mids?

These look great and I’d love to consider buying a pair. I don’t object to the price of the speakers but the stands are way too expensive.

How do they compare to the r3 meta?

In classical music it's instruments like concert bass drum (gran cassa) and the bass pedals on a church organ that go extremely deep.

Excellent review. Would really appreciate an Aura 1 review -- if it's any good. Also, while I never buy anything without seeing measurements, I'd appreciate more comparisons on the basis of aspects such as detail and resolution, harmonic richness, etc. -- two speakers that measure equally flat may still sound different. Thanks!

Great review. You are the sound cop. You do all that should be done to review a box full of components…or speaker. Could you PLEASE take the time to use this set of skills to review the Totem Forest. Also the Musician Night 1.

Compared to Philharmonic BMR ??

Erin.. Could you do a follow up showing the cab innards and bare driver magnet structues and baskets? Thanks…

Have you had a chance to listen to SourcePoint 10 yet? Curious how you feel it stacks up vs Aura with price being irrelevant.

if one does hear / if there is / some small amount of distortion in speakers, is it for certain a displeasing sound? as a mix engineer, involving harmonic distortion is often very helpful / pleasing / even necessary but, i get that the two applications are different. not sure how different tho...

These vs kef r3 meta?

By the way, please review the dovedale if you can. Seems like a solid upgrade in their more retro line (linton)

Wharfdale are awesome the Elysian series is damn good

The measurements are better than the $4k revel 125be. Too small for my tastes but good to see.

Arendal monitor 1723 vs these ones..?

Hey Erin, Can you put a few more speakers on your review list: Denon SC-N10 (Cheapest decent looking speaker I could find, 99€, paired with Sony DH790 and Polk Audio PSW 10 could be a 1000€ Dolby Atmos Sound bar killer) Pro-Ject Audio Speaker Box 5 (Very cheap that punches very above its weight) Pro-Ject Audio Speaker Box 5 S2 (Same speaker, 2x the price but made in Europe) Mission QX-2 Mk II (Jay's iyagi's best speaker under $1K) Focal Theva N°1 (Focal's new entry level bookshelf) Wharfedale Evo 4.2 (One of the very few 3 way bookshelf's, only 640€ in Europe) Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 (They say the best bookshelf under $1K, need to compare it to Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G, (that you have measured), that they also say best under $1K) Wharfedale ELYSIAN 2 (Looks to have even lower base than the Aura 2) And when you have the chance see if you can get your hands on some of the Perlisten stuff like the S4b (€8K) and compare it to KEF Reference 1. Not much to ask right? ;) Cheers.

Hope you can review the mission 770 one day ✌🏼